Celebrating life at Barchester

Christmas had arrived early at the home thanks to a heart-warming performance from the Corby Silver Band, it was an afternoon of festive melodies and traditional brass band classics. The band generously gave up their own time to visit the home to perform to the residents, it was an act of pure kindness that spread the Christmas cheer to so many residents.  It was a truly magical moment that transported the residents back in time to the days when they sat listening to the sound of a real band.

Activities Co-ordinator, Tina said: “The residents and staff thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon, the Corby Silver Band created a wonderful festive and cosy feel. The room was full of smiles it was delightful to see.”

Larisa Bledea, General Manager said, “A kind gesture from the Corby Silver Band to come and perform to us here at the home means so much to us all here. It is gestures like these that makes Christmas so special, we truly cannot thank them enough.”
 

Residents and staff were delighted in welcoming the children from St Peter’s School, for a festive afternoon of carol singing. It was an afternoon that residents immersed themselves in the joy of festive celebrations.

Our lovely residents were super excited to have the beautiful young voices echoing throughout the home spreading festive joy to all and singing along to classic Christmas carols and reminisce about when they were young during this time of the year. The children also presented a lovely Christmas card to the residents that was hand designed by one of the children in the school. Resident ambassador John, treated the children to some delicious chocolate treats and the end of the performance that certainly went down well. It was a beautiful afternoon that was perfect to continue celebrating the festive season.

Activities Co-ordinator, Tina said: “The residents and staff thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon, the children created such a joyful afternoon. It was a very uplifting and festive experience for all, spreading Christmas cheer all around.”

Larisa Bledea, General Manager said, “It is always lovely to invite the local school children in at this time of year, and to hear them sing their Christmas carols to us all is simply beautiful. It means so much to the residents and all the staff, it allows for the young and the old to mix and the wonderful experiences are shared.  I believe as do we all here at the home it is crucial to create links with our local schools and within the community to continue for our residents to remain a part of the community, it enriches the lives of all in many ways.”

This week our staff organised a fun Elf Day! Our café transformed into a winter wonderland and everyone, from residents to staff and visitor was given a fun elf name. 
We enjoyed lots of Christmas games, a lively elf hunt, and even a party that brought everyone dancing!
Our residents, staff, and families all joined in the festive spirit — and there were plenty of mischievous elves hiding around every corner!
The whole day was organised to help raise funds for a very special organisation- Alzheimer's Society. We also had a very special tree with baubles to represent those who suffer from Alzheimer's Disease. 

Our residents kicked off the countdown to Christmas with a truly special treat on Monday — a festive pet visit! This time, we were delighted to welcome Ringo the baby meerkat, brought in by our wonderful friends at @performing-pets.

Ringo has been hand-reared after being rejected by his mother, and he will soon be joining other meerkats in a specially designed environment where he can grow and thrive. For many of our residents, this was the very first time they had ever seen a meerkat in real life — let alone had the chance to gently stroke one! The smiles and excitement in the room said it all.

We host monthly pet visits here at the home, featuring a variety of friendly animals, and these sessions continue to be one of our most loved activities. They offer comfort, joy, companionship, and plenty of heart-warming moments that every resident can enjoy.

What a magical way to start the festive season!

Our residents kicked off the festive season in style on Sunday with a joyful Christmas arts and crafts afternoon! The room was filled with chatter, laughter, and plenty of holiday spirit as everyone came together to create some beautiful decorations for our dining room.

The highlight of the day was the super-sized paper chain they made as a team — a colourful, cheerful creation now proudly displayed across our dining room window. It has completely transformed the space and added a wonderful touch of Christmas magic. 

Arts and crafts sessions like this are always such a delight. They give our residents the chance to express their creativity, work together on something fun, and enjoy a relaxing activity that also helps support fine motor skills and confidence. Most importantly, it brings everyone together to share smiles and make lovely memories.

What a fantastic way to start our Christmas celebrations — and there’s plenty more festive fun to come!

Residents enjoyed an amazing Christmas buffet feast last Friday at our annual Christmas party—a celebration not just of the season, but of togetherness. The menu was prepared entirely in-house by our talented Head Chef, Avni, and his dedicated catering team, who put their hearts into every dish. From the comforting winter warmers to the beautifully presented festive favourites, each plate was crafted to bring joy, spark memories, and nourish more than just the appetite.

It wasn’t simply a meal; it was food for the soul. Laughter filled the room, stories were shared, and the aroma of freshly prepared dishes wrapped everyone in a sense of home and warmth. Residents agreed that the feast was fantastic, but more importantly, it brought people together in the true spirit of Christmas—where good company, good food, and heartfelt moments create the magic of the season.

This week Iris Court was filled with joy as we welcomed St Ippolyts CE school in for their annual Christmas Carol Performance. Now in their second year of visiting us, the pupils once again bought their festive magic to our home with their beautiful singing. 

With our residents gathered eagerly to listen its safe to say the performance brought a smile to everyone's day. Once the performance had finished, the pupils stayed to enjoy refreshments and spend time chatting with our residents. It was a lovely opportunity for different generations to connect and celebrate the spirit of the season together. 

We are all incredibly grateful to St Ippolyts school for their performance and providing our residents with such a heart warming experience and we cant wait to welcome them back next year!.

National celebrations and family-friendly events are just some of the ways that we ensure the residents at Ritson Lodge remain connected with their loved ones and the wider community. 

Our Residents enjoyed the fun and festivities at our annual Christmas Fayre. There were stalls, cakes and bakes, a Santa's Grotto and entertainments. It was great to see our friends and local community visit the home and join our Residents singing some Christmas favourites and kick off the Christmas celebrations for December. See our "Countdown to Christmas and Facebook page for what's on over the festive period.